Letter
Dear Mr. Grigg:
In its public meeting of 20 January conducted by videoconference, the Commission of Fine Arts reviewed a revised concept submission for Portals IV, a new residential building to be located at 1311 Maryland Avenue, SW (case number SL 22-055). Expressing appreciation for the design team’s responsiveness to its previous advice, the Commission approved the revised concept with the following comments.
The Commission members cited the ambitious development of the Portals complex and the Maryland Avenue circle, which this project will complete as a unified, architecturally defined urban space. They found the building’s massing and design to be appropriate for its context, and they commented that the balconies along the southern facade relate well to the balconies on the northern facade of the adjacent residential building, Portals V. They commended the relocation of the main entrance to the Maryland Avenue facade, noting that the building now successfully engages with the circle; they recommended that the balconies here be curved following the geometry of the facade along the circle. For the design of the site, they expressed appreciation for the development of the linear park, which they said would become a welcome new pedestrian-oriented green space, conceptually linked to Washington’s network of other green spaces.
The Commission looks forward to completing the review process for this project. As always, the staff is available to assist you with the development of the design.
Sincerely,
/s/Thomas E. Luebke, FAIA
Secretary
Steven Grigg, President
Republic Properties Corporation
1201 Maryland Avenue, SW, Suite 850
Washington, DC 20024
cc: George Dove, WDG Architecture